Construction around water bodies banned

SHILLONG, May 24: The High Court of Meghalaya has asked the government to preserve all the water bodies in the state and has ordered the state and the local authorities to deny permission for any construction activity to come up within 50 metres of the high-water mark of all water bodies without the express previous leave of the court.
During the hearing of a PIL on cleanliness of the Umiam Lake, an affidavit was filed by the government indicating that a sub-committee of experts has drafted a set of norms and guidelines for future construction around water bodies in the state.
The State submitted that the draft guidelines have been circulated among the various departments and the autonomous district councils for comments.